We spent another fun weekend at Crystal Mountain. The kids love to ski, spend time with grandma and grandpa and play with all of their toys. I've said it before, but we are so lucky to be able to spend time here.
Sleep Sacks!! These babies don't like to stay covered up with blankets when they are sleeping so thankfully we have sleep sacks!
After 15 months, the time came for me to stop pumping. (I continued a month after I returned my rented pump). I was surprised at how emotional I was when it came time for me to return my pump to the hospital. I had rented a pump like they had in the NICU because I liked it much better than the Medela pump I got from my insurance company. From the time the kids were born, I pumped every 3-5 hours for over a year (with the occasional 6-7 hour stretch for a good night sleep). I traveled to Florida for Sarah and Marc's wedding with my pump and cooler for breast milk. I hauled this pump back and forth to school each day so that I could pump during lunch. And just like that this chapter in my life was over. While Will and Erin were in the NICU I pumped because it was the only thing that I could do for them. It was a 'normal' thing that a new mom would do. Breast milk was the best thing for my babies and I would give them my milk. When they came home I continued my pumping routine. I remember the first months when they were home because every three hours I would feed Will, then try to give Erin a bottle if that didn't work she would get tube fed. Then I would pump. There was about 1 hour of time before I had to start the cycle again. It was a crazy time in our life and I have no idea how I did it, but I managed.
When I returned the pump I started to cry and couldn't talk to the lady at rental desk. I'm sure she thought that I had lost my mind. This pump symbolized so much more to me than just a breast pump. It was part of my identity for 15 months. It allowed me to escape the craziness of having two micro preemies in the hospital and then at home. I was doing something to help my babies grow and get stronger. I am so thankful that I was able to pump for as long as I did and that I produced enough milk for my babies and do donate some to the milk bank.
After 15 months, the time came for me to stop pumping. (I continued a month after I returned my rented pump). I was surprised at how emotional I was when it came time for me to return my pump to the hospital. I had rented a pump like they had in the NICU because I liked it much better than the Medela pump I got from my insurance company. From the time the kids were born, I pumped every 3-5 hours for over a year (with the occasional 6-7 hour stretch for a good night sleep). I traveled to Florida for Sarah and Marc's wedding with my pump and cooler for breast milk. I hauled this pump back and forth to school each day so that I could pump during lunch. And just like that this chapter in my life was over. While Will and Erin were in the NICU I pumped because it was the only thing that I could do for them. It was a 'normal' thing that a new mom would do. Breast milk was the best thing for my babies and I would give them my milk. When they came home I continued my pumping routine. I remember the first months when they were home because every three hours I would feed Will, then try to give Erin a bottle if that didn't work she would get tube fed. Then I would pump. There was about 1 hour of time before I had to start the cycle again. It was a crazy time in our life and I have no idea how I did it, but I managed. 
When I returned the pump I started to cry and couldn't talk to the lady at rental desk. I'm sure she thought that I had lost my mind. This pump symbolized so much more to me than just a breast pump. It was part of my identity for 15 months. It allowed me to escape the craziness of having two micro preemies in the hospital and then at home. I was doing something to help my babies grow and get stronger. I am so thankful that I was able to pump for as long as I did and that I produced enough milk for my babies and do donate some to the milk bank. 
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